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Flushing Your Outboard

By Don Casey

Revised by BoatUS editors in April 2012

Think of flushing the outboard in the same terms as brushing your teeth. The aluminum components of outboards are especially susceptible to corrosion. Leaving saltwater in the cooling passages severely shortens the life of an outboard motor. If you flush after every use, the engine will last longer and develop fewer problems--guaranteed.

Don Casey has been one of the most consulted experts on boat care and upgrades for 30 years, and a panelist on our "Ask The Experts" website for a decade. He and his wife cruise aboard their 30-footer part of the year in the eastern Caribbean. His books include Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual, and the recently updated This Old Boat, the bible for do-it-yourself boaters.